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Use Your Restaurant Takeout Menus As a Marketing Weapon

Takeout is a great way to expand your business and boost your restaurant sales. There are only so many tables at your restaurant, and during busy times, people do need to wait for one to open. In 2016, 60 percent of Americans said they purchased food for delivery or takeout at least once each week. While the demand is enormous restaurant owners don’t realize that their takeout menu functions greater than its utilitarian purpose. A well-designed takeout menu is your restaurant’s most valuable marketing tool, even ahead of media and online advertising as it’s always in the hands of the right customer.

So, how exactly do you create a pamphlet that catches communicates your offerings eyes and sparks taste buds? Here are a few tips:

CREATE A Wonderful COVER

The cover of your menu is the first impression. Be certain it’s in high resolution so there is no distortion or pixelation if you’re using an edge-to-edge photograph in the background. Do not let it get too overbearing or deflecting if you are using a design. Of course be sure to include phone number and your address.

BE A BRAND

Customers connect to brands, and become loyal to the brands they love. Your brand needs to be conveyed through your menu design, not just with your logo and colours, but in the overall style of the menu. A menu for an Italian restaurant should have a different aesthetic than that of a restaurant. This is where a 1800-Printing design specialist can help you create the perfect branding for your menu. Don’t stop at the first iteration. Customize your menu to the best of your skills so that it stands out from the stack.

TELL YOUR STORY

Certainly your restaurant has a story behind it. And believe it or not, customers want to hear that story. Let your entrepreneurial and creative dreams shine by offering a short story (2-4 sentences) of how your restaurant began, why you started it, how it’s grown, and why it’s unique. Include this story in a dedicated area somewhere on your takeout menu so that customers know they are supporting a meaningful establishment.

HIGHLIGHT BEST SELLERS AND SPECIALS

Both for profitability and promotion, your takeout menu should include a couple of standout items. Bring focus on specials and best sellers by stylizing the text in italics, bold or different colors.

SHARE THE INGREDIENTS

People today want to know what’s in a dish before it is ordered by them. Brief descriptions highlighting the fresh, quality ingredients you use can help to inspire customers and make their mouths water beyond minimizing the amount of questions you get about things.

INCORPORATE PHOTOS

Speaking of making mouths water, what better way to communicate deliciousness than with photos? But that does not mean you should try to squeeze into a small cell phone photo of every menu item. Instead, add a specialist images for the best dash of visualization.

If you’re not entirely confident in your design abilities and/or don’t have enough opportunity to design your own menu, it may be best to hire a designer for the job. Or hire us at 1800-Printing to take your restaurant menu printing to the next level.